


Burned to Ashes

by Aquatic_Batt



Category: Warrior Cats - Fandom, Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/F, F/M, I had to publish something for Creative Writing, ThunderClan (Warriors), Warriors AU, WindClan (Warriors), anyways this is my first fic so it’s probably gonna be really bad, enjoy tho, so I chose to publish this fic idea I’ve had forever, wow go me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2020-11-07 17:08:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20820827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aquatic_Batt/pseuds/Aquatic_Batt
Summary: in the fire scene, instead of being infuriated with Squirrelflight, Ashfur is infuriated with Brambleclaw, and he blames him not only taking Squirrelflight from him, but also for the death of his mother, since Brambleclaw is kin of Tigerstar. Ashfur tries to kill him, and only fails because Hollyleaf intervenes. she throws him into the fire, but miraculously, he survives, and strives to wrench Squirrelflight from Brambleclaw no matter what. he ends up finding out Leafpool’s secret, and decides to expose them at the next Gathering, in hopes of getting Brambleclaw to leave Squirrelflight so that Ashfur can take her under his wing. meanwhile, Hollyleaf and her clan mates desperately search for him, as she is concerned for her father’s safety.





	1. Pranking Brambleclaw!!! Gone wrong??!??!? I died!!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> wow so this is my first fic? uhh yeah. I don’t know how much of this I’ll actually do and finish since the only reason I finished the first chapter was because I needed to publish something for my Creative Writing class but hopefully I’ll at least get pretty far. this is my first fic so I apologize if the writing is bad or if any of the characters seem off character. I hope you all enjoy regardless!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the fire begins, and Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze get separated from the Clan. they’re scared, but know their way out for the most part, until lightning strikes and a flaming branch separates Squirrelflight from the rest of them. Ashfur finds them and decides to help, but when it’s Brambleclaw’s turn, his demeanor changes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops this is my first fic, I hope you guys like it. sorry if the writings really bad I’m not really used to writing full length stories and whatnot

The fire danced wickedly across the grass, climbing trees and reaching the sky. Smoke filled the air, making it hard to breathe. Cats fled left and right, desperate to escape the crackling fire.

  
The flames began to encircle the camp, and Hollyleaf was now unable to find a way out. She searched desperately for her brothers, her mother, someone, anyone! Fear started crawling up her spine like a beetle when she finally spotted Jayfeather’s gray pelt against the flames. Relief flooded her as she approached him, soon noticing that Lionblaze was right beside him, trying to guide him, despite his retorts. Hollyleaf called out as she caught up to them so that they knew where she was.

  
“Where is Squirrelflight?” Lionblaze asked her as she caught up. “I didn’t see her leave with the Clan.”

  
“Over here!” Squirrelflight’s voice broke through the crackles of fire, and Lionblaze and Hollyleaf looked in her direction. Hollyleaf could barely make out her figure, as she blended in well with the fire, but she saw her nonetheless.

  
“That way!” Hollyleaf spoke, pushing Jayfeather with Lionblaze.

  
“I don’t need your help!” Jayfeather snapped, but Hollyleaf sensed a quiver in his voice. His body shook against her pelt as she tried to guide him, and she knew that he was just as afraid as they were, possibly even worse. Lionblaze started ahead, and Hollyleaf let Jayfeather go ahead of her.

  
The three caught up to Squirrelflight, and as soon as she got a head count, she turned back to where she was heading. Squirrelflight pushed her way through the brambles at the base of the hollow. Cracks littered the wall upwards. Squirrelflight turned to her kits.

  
“I’m going to climb up the wall. Jayfeather, when I get up there, you come first. Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, you make sure he’s safe, then one of you follow his lead, okay?”

  
Jayfeather began to protest, but before he could, Squirrelflight began to scramble her way to the top. As Hollyleaf watched her tail disappear over the rock, Squirrelflight turned to look down at them. She called out for Jayfeather, and Lionblaze and Hollyleaf helped him find his grip so that he could begin the climb. His claws hooked into the crevices, and he pulled his weight upwards. As he neared the top, thunder cracked loudly, startling the blind cat. Jayfeather lost his grip, and began to fall. Hollyleaf’s breath hitched as she watched her mother catch him just in time. Fear was pushed back by cold determination in her mother’s eyes as she dragged him onto the ledge.

  
“Jayfeather!” Lionblaze’s voice was laced with fear as he called out. “Are you alright?”

  
“He’s fine,” Squirrelflight called out, and Hollyleaf let out the shaky breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “He’s just a bit shaken now. He needs a moment.”

  
“Hollyleaf, Lionblaze!” Hollyleaf turned to see a brown tabby running at them. It was Brambleclaw! Relief filled his gaze as he reached them, but it was quickly overshadowed with concern. “Where’s Jayfeather? And Squirrelflight?”

  
“Up here!” Brambleclaw looked up to see Squirrelflight looking over the ledge, now with Jayfeather at her side. Brambleclaw smiled, then turned to Lionblaze and Hollyleaf.

  
“Keep moving!” he said, not wanting his arrival to stop them. Lionblaze began his climb next, and, thankfully, reached the top without any interruptions this time. As soon as Squirrelflight grabbed him by the scruff, Hollyleaf knew it was her turn. She looked back at Brambleclaw for a moment, and he nodded for her to continue.

  
She lunged at the wall, hooking her front claws into a crevice. She scrambled to stabilize her back legs, then worked her way up until she felt teeth clenching carefully but firmly on her scruff. Hollyleaf heaved herself onto the ledge with the help of Squirrelflight pulling her. Hollyleaf immediately got to her paws, and looked over her brothers. Lionblaze stood strong, but Hollyleaf could see that Jayfeather was visibly shaking like a leaf. Thunder cracked above, and lightning lit up the sky as Brambleclaw made his way onto the surface. Squirrelflight have a glance to everyone, then continued the trek.

  
“We have to keep moving!” she yowled. “We’re almost to safety.”

  
Hollyleaf gave one last look over everyone, then padded over to Jayfeather as Lionblaze began to move.

  
“Are you alright?” she asked softly.

  
“I’m _fine!_” he snapped, but his voice cracked as he did. Jayfeather quickly followed after Lionblaze, not wanting to discuss it any farther. Hollyleaf felt bad, but her sympathy quickly turned to fear as she saw a flash of lighting crashing down in front of him.

  
“Watch out!” she exclaimed, and launched herself at Jayfeather. She yanked him backwards, and before he could question her, the light connected with a small tree nearby, causing it to crash and fall between Squirrelflight and the rest of them.

  
“Squirrelflight!” Brambleclaw called out, searching for her across the wall of fire that was now forming. “Are you alright?”

  
“I’m alright!” she called back. “Is everyone over there alright?”

  
“Barely,” Hollyleaf assured her, if one could call it assurance. Her tail curled protectively around Jayfeather as she inspected him to make sure he wasn’t hit. Thankfully, the worst of the damage was his shaken mood. Lionblaze and Brambleclaw paced around on either side of them.

  
“Can you find any signs of a way out?” Brambleclaw asked Lionblaze.

  
“No, not at all. How about you?”

  
“No luck here, either.”

  
“Surely there has to be some way?” Hollyleaf tried to stay hopeful, but seeing their situation, it was quite difficult.

  
“There’s a stick over here!” Squirrelflight called. “I’m going to try and push it through the fire. You guys climb over it like a bridge, alright?”

  
Hollyleaf strained to see her grasping on a long piece of wood. Despite her efforts, the wood barely moved. Hollyleaf could see desperation and fear clouding her eyes and she pulled harder and harder on it. _It’s no use,_ Hollyleaf thought, _she’s not strong enough!_

  
Just then, a gray figure moved through the flames. Hollyleaf spotted Ashfur making his way towards Squirrelflight, worry filling his gaze. As he made his way over to her, the two spoke to each other, but Hollyleaf could not hear what they said. She didn’t need to, as soon, Ashfur made his way to the other end of the wood, and pushed as hard as he could. Now with Ashfur’s help, Squirrelflight was able to shove the wood through the fire to the other side.

  
Squirrelflight smiled thankfully at the tom, and the both of them held the wood down so that they could cross.

  
“Hurry, climb onto the wood!” Squirrelflight called. “It won’t be long before it catches fire!”

  
“Hollyleaf, you go first,” Lionblaze decided. “Jayfeather, you go after her and use her tail as a guide. Brambleclaw and I will be right behind you.”

  
Hollyleaf nodded and padded over to the wood, pulling herself onto it. She tested the wood, bouncing slightly. It would hold them so long as they were careful and reached the end before the fire caught it. She made her way forward until she thought that she’d left enough room for Jayfeather. Hollyleaf glanced behind her to watch Lionblaze guiding Jayfeather onto the wood. Jayfeather snapped at him, then made his way toward Hollyleaf.

  
“Grab my tail,”she waved her tail over his muzzle. “You can follow me easier if you hold on.”

  
“I am not-”

  
“Just do it!”

  
Hollyleaf yelped as she felt sharp teeth suddenly dig into her skin. She gave Jayfeather a glare, but decided that this could wait. There wasn’t any time for bickering.

  
Slowly, Hollyleaf made her way to the end. She reached her mother and Ashfur, stepped down, and moved to let Jayfeather cross after her. She nuzzled her mother, then turned to Ashfur.

  
“Thank you so much,” she smiled at the tom, but was surprised to be met with only a cold, clouded stare. Ashfur said nothing, just simply watched as Jayfeather got down, Lionblaze only a bit behind him. What was on his mind?

  
Squirrelflight licked Jayfeather’s forehead, then waited for her final son. Lionblaze hopped off of the wood and shoved himself towards Squirrelflight, nuzzling her aggressively. Now Brambleclaw was the only car left to escape.

  
Movement caught Hollyleaf’s eye as Ashfur made his way to the wood. He pounced onto it and made his way toward Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw looked puzzled, but responded calmly.  
“Ashfur, you need to move out of the way. I need to get out.”

  
“No,” Ashfur’s voice was cold as he approached Brambleclaw. “You’re not getting out this time. You need to pay for the mistakes of your past. Others may have forgotten, but I certainly have not.”

  
“What are you talking about?” Brambleclaw’s voice was calm, but hinted with irritation.

  
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re no better than your father, Brambleclaw.” The brown tom winced at the mention of his father. “Yes, Tigerstar, remember? The cat who killed cats just for the sake of becoming leader. The cat who killed my mother.” Ashfur dug his claws into the wood at the memory. “There’s a reason Firestar named you Bramble_claw_, you know. He just couldn’t get the foul taste of him out of his mouth. Every time he looked at you, your father is all he could see. It’s all anyone can see when they look at your twisted face. You’re kin of a monster, Brambleclaw, which makes you a monster in return. And no one can forgive a monster. I surely cannot.”

  
Squirrelflight stepped forward. “Ashfur, get off-”

  
“Don’t intervene!” his eyes, despite being a cold blue, seemed to blaze like the fire around them as he turned on Squirrelflight. “I’m going to save you, Squirrelflight. You’ve been manipulated into loving a killer. But it’s okay.” A wicked smile curled on his lips. “I’ll rescue you, I’ll rid you and your kits of this fiend. Your kits deserve so much more than this worthless piece of fox-dung.”

  
Ashfur turned back to Brambleclaw. “I remember moons ago, when Hawkfrost was still alive, he was the only cat you seemed to appreciate. Every time we went to a gathering, you were always at his side. And what did you two have in common? You were Tigerstar’s kin. Monsters tend to gravitate towards fellow monsters, I suppose. And then, he convinced you to kill your own leader. I had my eyes on the two of you like a hawk. You were ready to take his life and claim his title as your own. But one thing has always puzzled me. I saw you hesitate, Brambleclaw. You were so close, and yet you didn’t kill him. Why didn’t you do it, Brambleclaw? Why didn’t you kill him, when clearly you had the ability to?”

  
“Because _I’m_ not the monster here,” Brambleclaw growled, then launched himself at Ashfur.

  
Ashfur was ready, however, and ducked. He shoved himself into Brambleclaw’s stomach, and the two tumbled across the wood onto the other side.

  
“Brambleclaw!” Lionblaze shouted. Hollyleaf’s mind was a whirl wind as she watched the events go down. What was Ashfur thinking? Why would he do this?

  
Hollyleaf jumped onto the wood and was frozen on the spot as she watched her father fight for his life. Brambleclaw jumped to his feet and aimed to grab Ashfur by the scruff. His teeth connected, and he tossed him across the small area. Ashfur landed on his feet and ran at Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw jumped and pinned the gray cat down. He battered his face, and aimed at his throat. Ashfur then fastened his teeth around Brambleclaw’s ear.

  
Brambleclaw roared and pulled back, the flesh on his ear tearing off. Ashfur swiped Brambleclaw’s face with a claw and shoved him off with his back legs. Before Brambleclaw could get back up, Ashfur pounced on top of him and began tearing at his belly. Brambleclaw pushed Ashfur off of him, then swung a clawed paw at the tom. Ashfur ducked, however, then aimed a paw at Brambleclaw’s paws. The tabby lost his balance, and fell dangerously close to the flames.

  
Ashfur stood over the tom with a wicked smirk, pinning him down with dagger claws.

  
“Ashfur, stop!” Squirrelflight called out. “I know I hurt you when I left you, but you don’t have to take it out on Brambleclaw. Besides, this was all in the-”

  
“He’s had you brainwashed, Squirrelflight,” there was a threatening coldness in Ashfur’s voice, and he dared not look back at Squirrelflight. “Manipulated, by this foul excuse for a cat. But now, it’ll be over. You won’t be trapped anymore. Now,” he lifted a paw up, extending his claws dramatically, “is when Tigerstar’s reign ends.”

  
“No!”

  
There was a sudden blur of black against the fire. Hollyleaf raced across the wood without even thinking. Instantly, her claws and teeth latched onto the gray figure and wrenched him off of her father. Ashfur cried out in shock as Hollyleaf swung him with all of her might. Like ashes from a flame, gray met fiery red as Ashfur’s body fell into the flames. He let out one final cry as he disappeared.

  
“Are you alright?” Hollyleaf leaned down to her father and tried helping him to his paws. He leaned on her until he finally stood up. He took in a breath, looking to see if Ashfur was still there, then looked at Hollyleaf.

  
“Yes,” he smiled warmly, “thanks to you.”

  
Hollyleaf felt warmth in her chest at the pride glistening in his eyes.

  
“The bridge is burning!” The moment was cut short by Squirrelflight’s warning. Hollyleaf and Brambleclaw spun around to see flames catching the wood of the bridge they had created.

  
“Go!” Brambleclaw ordered, shoving Hollyleaf towards the bridge. She collected her thoughts and ran to the bridge. It shook under her weight as she crawled on top of it, and she worried if both of them could get across.

  
Hollyleaf bolted across the bridge as the flames leaped threateningly at her. Once on the other side, she turned back to Brambleclaw. The wood creaked as he made his way to the top.

  
“Be careful,” she warned, “its breaking!”

  
As if on command, cracks started forming in the wood, ready to fall apart at any moment. Brambleclaw began to run. The wood cracked with every step, but he did not slow down.  
When Brambleclaw finally made it to the end, the wood fell apart, chips and pieces giving into the flames. He jumped off, and was greeted by Squirrelflight nuzzling him.  
“Thank StarClan you’re both okay!” she cried, shoving her nose into his fur. The two of them turned to Hollyleaf.

  
“That was very brave of you, Hollyleaf,” Brambleclaw stepped towards her. “Thank you.”

  
“It was only instinct.” She looked away sheepishly, embarrassed by the attention. “Anyone else would’ve done it for their own father.”

  
“But we didn’t!” Lionblaze nearly knocked her over when he shoved her shoulder playfully. “We just stood there and watched like helpless mice!”

  
“Yeah, you were even braver than Lionblaze.” There was a trace of a laugh in Jayfeather’s voice. “That’s a first.”

  
“Hey!”

  
“I’m so sorry about Ashfur.” Hollyleaf heard Squirrelflight talking to Brambleclaw. “I don’t know what happened. I thought he was over everything, over the fact that we have kits and all.”

  
“It’s fine,” Brambleclaw assured, though his voice was cold. “This isn’t your fault. Lets get moving. We need to report what just happened to Firestar.”

  
Brambleclaw padded past everyone and went in the lead. Squirrelflight looked worried, but gave a brave face to Hollyleaf and her brothers. Hollyleaf shared a concerned look with them, then followed her parents.

The search for the rest of the Clan was long and silent. Hollyleaf could feel tension in the air thick enough to slice. Something was wrong with Brambleclaw, but he hadn’t said a word ever since the encounter. Squirrelflight hid her worries and bounced over to him.

  
“Hey,” Squirrelflight nudged him, “I’ll race you to that tree stump.”

  
“Not the time.” His voice remained cold, and Squirrelflight’s smile fell. Hollyleaf made eye contact with her and felt sympathy wash over her. Brambleclaw looked at Squirrelflight, and his eyes softened.

  
“I’m sorry.” He nudged her lightly. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind, that’s all.”

  
Squirrelflight smiled, and leaned on him the rest of the way. Hollyleaf was relieved, but felt a pang of jealousy. Having a relationship like that with someone must be nice. To have someone who would do anything for you, be at your side when you need them the most. It was a comforting thought. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. There were more pressing matters at stake than having a mate, regardless of how lovely the thought sounded.

  
“There they are!” Hollyleaf looked up to see Sandstorm and Leafpool bounding toward them. The clan looked on behind them, relief visible in their faces. Sandstorm nuzzled Hollyleaf, then moved on to her brothers.

  
“Where in StarClan’s name have you been?” Leafpool questioned, checking over Squirrelflight. “Are any of you hurt?”

  
“We’re all fine,” Squirrelflight explained. “We ended up heading in the complete opposite direction of the Clan.”

  
“What happened?” Firestar padded over, eyes locking with Brambleclaw’s. There was concern on his face; suddenly, Hollyleaf’s eyes landed on the fresh scratches across his body.

  
“Where’s Ashfur?”

  
Everyone in the returning group froze and looked at Ferncloud. The worry in her gaze only grew when she noticed the silence caused by the mere mention of her brother’s name.  
Hollyleaf looked at her companions. Who was going to tell her what he had done? Just then, Lionblaze stepped forward.

  
“Brambleclaw was attacked,” he explained. “During the fire, the four of us became trapped, so Ashfur assisted Squirrelflight in helping Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and me escape. But before Brambleclaw could follow, Ashfur accused him of being just like his father and manipulating Squirrelflight. He attacked Brambleclaw, and could’ve killed him if Hollyleaf hadn’t jumped into battle.”

  
Everyone went silent, taking in the information. Ferncloud’s body began physically shaking like a leaf on a windy day.

  
“I don’t understand.” Her voice croaked. “Where is he then?”

  
Hollyleaf felt sick to her stomach. Ferncloud didn’t deserve this; she didn’t deserve to lose a brother because he grew wicked and narrow minded. But she had to be told. Hollyleaf stepped towards her.

  
“I’m sorry,” she spoke. “He would not leave Brambleclaw alone, so I threw him into the flames. He’s dead. I’m so sorry.”

  
Ferncloud’s eyes clouded over at her words. She blinked slowly, and turned to Brambleclaw.

  
“You were such good friends.” Her voice was quiet and cracking. “How could this have happened? I thought he accepted that you were different from Tigerstar. What happened?”

  
“I thought so too,” Brambleclaw replied, his voice growing quiet as well. “But something changed, and I don’t know what.”

  
Silence fell upon the Clan. Everyone’s eyes landed on Ferncloud, as if daring her to defend her brother. But she didn’t. She hung her head and padded over to Dustpelt, who began whispering words of comfort to her.

  
Hollyleaf’s mind started racing. Was killing Ashfur a good idea? It was instinct, he would’ve killed her father if she hadn’t. But then again, what if he wouldn’t have? Could thing have gone any differently if she hadn’t killed him?

  
“Hollyleaf, are you alright?” Firestar’s voice broke off her thoughts. She simply nodded at him, hoping he wouldn’t push her any further. To her luck, he turned back to his Clan and called for their attention. “Graystripe, Cloudtail, I want you to go check the camp and make sure the fire is gone. Bring back any reports of damage. When we are certain the fire is gone, we will return to camp and begin repairing any damages that have been made to the camp. We will retrieve Ashfur’s body tonight and hold a vigil for him. Though he may have gone mad in the end, he was a respectable warrior up until today, and still deserves a proper burial.”

  
Cloudtail and Graystripe did as they were told, and the rest of the Clan went back to what they were doing before their arrival. Leafpool began examining Brambleclaw’s wounds, determining how serious the damage was. Jayfeather padded over to her and began asking her about the Clan’s injuries. Squirrelflight and Lionblaze laid, exhausted from today’s events.

  
But Hollyleaf could not rest. She sat at the edge of the Clan, glancing over at Ferncloud. She sobbed into Dustpelt’s shoulder, grieving over the loss of her brother. The sight broke her heart; she couldn’t imagine how much pain she must be going through. It was unfair, and possibly her own fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeehaw lets get this party started


	2. Bro. what if we like,,, h*ld h*nds. also PRANKED I LIVED !!!!!!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ThunderClan deals with the effects of the fire on their camp, as well as bringing back Ashfur for his burial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof be warned for awful writing I feel like this chapter didn’t come out right. but this is my first time officially writing like a fic or anything so that’s somewhat to be expected lmao

When Cloudtail and Graystripe returned, they informed Firestar that the flames had died down, and that fortunately, not much damage was dealt to the camp, although a few of the dens were burned pretty bad. Firestar decided it was safe for his Clan to head back to camp.

Upon their arrival, Hollyleaf was surprised at how little damage was done. The moss in the elders’ and warriors’ dens needed to be replaced, some of the medicine cats’ supplies was burned, and the brambles on the edges of the camp were destroyed, but aside from that, the damage wasn’t severe. Maybe in the panic the fire seemed bigger than it actually was, she thought.

“Berrynose, Brightheart, Ferncloud.” Firestar’s voice rings in the clearing. “I want you to go bring back Ashfur’s body. Lionblaze, go with them. You know where the events took place, so you can help them find him.”

“Will do, Firestar,” Lionblaze nodded at him, then started gathering his patrol, and left camp. Everyone was soon being assigned job to do to help fix the camp. Hollyleaf padded over to hr brother and Leafpool, who were looking through their storage.

“We need some more coltsfoot,” Leafpool noted out loud. “The yarrow supply is also thinning, maybe we should get some of that as well.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Leafpool turned to Hollyleaf as she stood at the entrance. Jayfeather twitched his ear, but continued examining the supplies.

“Nothing right now,” Leafpool answered, “we’re just making sure we know which herbs we need to restock.”

“We need catmint,” Jayfeather called. “Hollyleaf, can you fetch us some catmint? And coltsfoot.”

“Yes, I’ll bring you back what I can find.”

“Thank you!” Leafpool called as she left the den. At the edge of the camp, another voice called out to her.

“Hollyleaf!” Cinderheart greeted her with a smile. “Where are you off to?”

“Helping Leafpool and Jayfeather restock. They’re running out of coltsfoot and catmint.”

“Would you like me to tag along? Two is better than one!”

Hollyleaf suddenly felt her stomach churn with nervousness. The way Cinderheart’s eyes twinkled when she offered made her feel warm in a way she hadn’t before. She brushed it off.

“Yeah, come along!”

Hollyleaf and Cinderheart arrived a bit later, herbs carefully in their jaws.

“Is this enough?” Hollyleaf inquired as she and Cinderheart dropped the herbs at the entrance.

“Yes, that’ll do,” Leafpool answered. “Thank you!”

“It’s no problem,” Hollyleaf insisted. “Is there anything else we can do?”

“Not at the moment, but we’ll let you know if there is.”

Hollyleaf nodded to her, then she and Cinderheart exited.

“I’m gonna go see if they need any help with the dens,” Cinderheart spoke. “You should take a break. You’ve dealt with a lot today.”

“No, I can—” Cinderheart left before Hollyleaf could finish. Her gray fur looked silvery gold in the sunlight. Hollyleaf gazed after her, admiring how excited she seemed to be helping everyone.

_She’s beautiful._

Hollyleaf shook her head. Where did that thought come from? She shouldn’t be thinking about getting a mate right now, she has to deal with her current situation first. Yet... being with Cinderheart didn’t seem like a bad idea right now.

“Brambleclaw, something is obviously bothering you. Why can’t you just tell me?”

Hollyleaf turned to see Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw taking moss into the elders’ den. They both looked frustrated, but there was a hint of worry on Squirrelflight’s face.

“I can handle it on my own.”

“Brambleclaw!” Squirrelflight snatched the moss out of his paws and pinned it with her claws. “We can’t continue working until you tell me what’s up. Why don’t you feel like you can trust me? I’m your mate, for StarClan’s sake!”

Brambleclaw let out a sigh of defeat and sat down. Squirrelflight seemed to realize she beat him, and sat down as well.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was solem. “I’ve just been caught up in Ashfur’s words. I didn’t realize that cats still thought of me that way, that they still compare me to my father. If Ashfur still thinks I’m like him, who’s to say no one else does? Maybe no one really trusts me, or ever had. And just when I thought I’d finally escaped Tigerstar’s shadow, too.”

“Brambleclaw,” the way Squirrelflight called his name now was empty of all anger and annoyance; now, it was filled with sympathy and worry, “I didn’t realize. I’m so sorry. But you’re nothing like Tigerstar. You’ve grown to be more than just the son of a killer, and everyone else in the clan has moved on. I don’t know what was wrong with Ashfur; maybe jealousy just got to his head. But your clanmates are loyal to you, they trust you with their lives—you’re their deputy, for crying out loud! I can promise you, what happened with Ashfur is a one time thing, and it’ll never happen again.”

Brambleclaw’s eyes grew wide with surprise, then softened with love.

“Thank you,” he breathed, leaning towards her to press his muzzle into her neck fur. She giggled and pressed against him.

Hollyleaf felt pride spread throughout her chest. Brambleclaw really was more than his father’s shadow—he was an excellent deputy, loving mate, and careful father. She couldn’t ask for anyone else to take place as her parent.

“Hey,” Hollyleaf turned to see Cinderheart approaching her. “Everyone seems busy, so I figured I’d wait with you and help the medicine cats. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah I’m fine, just thinking.”

“Oh good, just wanted to make sure!”

Cinderheart sat right next to Hollyleaf. Hollyleaf was overly aware of how close they were, how sweet her scent was, how each breath Cinderheart took, she felt her fur rise and fall beside her.

“You know,” Cinderheart broke the silence, “I don’t know if I got a chance to tell you, but you were really brave today.”

Hollyleaf froze at the compliment. It felt strange, but sweet. She swallowed the nervousness that crept at her throat.

“I just did what anyone else would’ve done,” she managed. “I just happened to be there and happened to do it.”

“Hollyleaf, you attacked a warrior who was overtaking Brambleclaw of all cats, surrounded by flames! You risked your life to save your father from a cat that was probably deranged! Everyone can say that they’d do it, but half of this Clan would just be bluffing—I know I couldn’t!”

Uncomfortable warmth swelled in Hollyleaf’s face, from her throat to ear-tips. She looked away, not knowing how to respond. Cinderheart shifted, and Hollyleaf noticed that she felt even closer than before. Or was it in her head? Maybe she was imagining it.

Just then, the bushes at the entrance of the camp rustled, and Lionblaze entered. Hollyleaf stood up to greet them when her blood went cold. Everyone in the patrol looked a mixture of irritated and confused. There was no sign of Ashfur.

“How did the patrol go?” Firestar asked as he approached them. He paused, confused. “Where’s Ashfur?”

“Lionblaze sent us on a wild goose chase,” Berrynose snarled. “He insisted he knew where he was going, but no matter where we looked, there was no sign of a body.”

“We looked everywhere I knew he would’ve been,” Lionblaze explained. “There wasn’t a sign of him, no bloody puddle, no dead body. It was like he vanished.”

“We thought maybe a fox took him,” Brightheart added, “but there was no fox scent, or scent of any other animals that could’ve taken him.”

“Where in the name of StarClan could he have gone?” Jayfeather was leaving the medicine cat den. “Dead bodies don’t just up and leave like that.”

“Unless he’s still alive,” Ferncloud spoke with a broken voice.

Hollyleaf felt the world shatter. “No, I killed him,”she insisted. “Brambleclaw, you saw me, I swung him into the fire. There’s no way he could’ve survived!”

“It’s a possibility,” Firestar spoke. “It would be excruciatingly painful, but it can happen.”

Hollyleaf’s mind raced. She killed him, she had to have! But if she hadn’t...

_Brambleclaw could be in danger._

“Hollyleaf?” Cinderheart’s voice was filled with worry. “What are you doing?” she asked as Hollyleaf stood up.

“I’m going to find him.”

“Hollyleaf, wait!”

But it was too late. Hollyleaf raced into the woods, desperate to find Ashfur and stop him from hurting anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gay cats and anxiety, basically


	3. SURPRISE BITCH!!! I LIVED

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Out of the fire, he emerges. And he’s not going down easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh sorry for taking so long to update! I actually forgot to write about this fire quite some time,, but I got some comments and people seem to be excited about this, so I decided to continue writing! I’m hoping to update this story more frequently from now on, especially since school is basically out :D

Flames crackled along the bank, hungry for more land. Their effort was cut short, however, as they reached the lake’s edge. Struggled though they may have, it was no use. At the abrupt edge, the flames grew weaker, and simmered down. 

As the fire dimmed, a gray figure emerged from the hues of orange and red. Ashfur hauled his body out, desperate to escape. His body burned from whisker to tail, and he almost felt as if the fire were burning inside his chest, as each breath burned more than the last. 

Exhaustion threatened to tie him down when he spotted the bright blue waves of the lake. His pace quickened, finding his strength as each paw step guided him closer to safety. With one final push, he flung himself into the blue. 

Cold water soothed the burning, gently caressing his figure. The waves swayed against his body, rocking him comfortingly as it doused his flaming body. He could feel his eyelids grow heavier as he let his body sink. 

_ I could stay here forever, _ he thought to himself, feeling his body grow weaker to the water.  _ I could stay, and let the waves guide me to StarClan.  _

The lake felt like a comforting grave to him now. Hollyleaf had nearly killed him when she threw him into the flames—but, then again, maybe it wasn’t just  _ nearly _ . With every second he stayed under water he felt his life being pulled away. 

_ This is the end,  _ he concluded. Try as hard as he might, he knew it must be. His bones ached, and he felt to tired to move. Ashfur closed his eyes and let his body fall. 

_ Goodbye, Squirrelflight. At least I tried.  _

She was still alive, at least. 

But so was Brambleclaw. 

Suddenly, a new fear resurrected Ashfur from his dying rest. His eyes fluttered open, and he choked on the water around him in shock. He broke through the water’s surface, coughing up the water that had saved him only moments ago. 

_ Where are they? _ he thought frantically, eyes wildly searching around himself.  _ Where have they gone? I need to save Squirrelflight!  _

As he turned around, he noticed an odd shape in the water. Ashfur looked down into the watery mirror and cringed, taken aback by the horrific sight. 

Before him was a cat mutilated by the fire. His ear was bent at an awkward angle, being singed at the tip. The edges around his eyes were burnt an ugly black. On the side of his muzzle, the fur was burnt off, and the skin had begun to melt away, showing off the teeth underneath. His body was covered in burn scars, from fur bring singed to skin melting away from his frame. 

He should have died. Instead, he was horribly disfigured. 

And he only had one cat to blame for that. 

_ Brambleclaw.  _

Ashfur dug his claws into the sand, wishing it were Brambleclaw’s flesh. The brown tabby was the cause to all of this. Hollyleaf may had been the one to toss him into the fire, but it wasn’t her fault. She didn’t realize the mistake she was making. She didn’t realize what Brambleclaw really was. 

He turned to shore, searching for a sign of life. Through the weakening flames, Ashfur saw a group of cats up ahead. It was the Clan. He started to head in their direction when he spotted Squirrelflight. She stood beside Brambleclaw and her family as Lionblaze stepped forward, speaking with Firestar. He couldn’t read their faces from the distance, but he could tell what was going on. 

_ Lionblaze must be telling them about me.  _

Ashfur lowered his body into the water, slinking away to the other side of the shore. If they were telling Firestar what happened, they surely wouldn’t be wanting him back any time soon. Lionblaze probably twisted the story to protect his father. 

_ I forgive you, Lionblaze,  _ he silently promised.  _ You do not yet realize the error of your ways.  _

Ashfur gave Brambleclaw one last glare, imagining his teeth digging into Brambleclaw’s throat. 

_ You will pay for this.  _

For now, he had to stay low. So long as everyone believed Brambleclaw was innocent, Ashfur wasn’t safe. Silently, he slunk onto the shore, careful to keep a distance away from the fire. 

As he reached farther into the woods, Ashfur dug into a tree and began to climb. The leaves engulfed him as he went higher, protecting him from being seen. 

For a moment, he watched the flames dance into death as they faded away. He swore that once or twice he could see Brambleclaw’s vicious grin as he laughed at his failure. Ashfur gritted his teeth. 

_ You may have won this time, Brambleclaw. But I swear to you, this is not the last you’ve seen of me. One way or another, I will end you, and save Squirrelflight from your terrorous reign. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry that this chapter was a bit short! nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope to update soon!


	4. someone will try to kill my dad??????? anyway look at my girlf :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hollyleaf struggles to accept that Ashfur is still out there, and is still a threat to Brambleclaw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to come out! I really wish I could send out updates to let y'all know how the chapters are coming along lmao. I hope you all enjoy this chapter though!! it's really gay lmao

Hollyleaf’s paws hit the ground hard as she raced towards where she attacked Ashfur. A familiar charred branch caught her attention, and she knew she was on the right track. She sprang onto it, running up to where the confrontation had occurred. 

_ He’s gotta be around here somewhere!  _ she thought, eyes frantically searching where she could’ve sworn she tossed him. Surely he couldn’t have gone far? 

“Hollyleaf!” 

Cinderheart’s voice was barely a whisper over Hollyleaf’s desperate thoughts. He was dead. He had to be. She  _ killed  _ him. And yet, as had been reported, there was no sign of a body. 

She recalled throwing him to her left and raced in that direction. She breathed in the scent of the air, hoping to catch a whiff of him. However, the smoke was too strong, and all she could smell were ashes. 

“Hollyleaf!” Cinderheart repeated as she approached Hollyleaf, voice laced with anger and concern. “What in the name of StarClan are you doing?” 

“He has to be out here,” Hollyleaf insisted, “he must be! I watched him fall into the flames—I  _ killed  _ him!” She stepped forward, only for Cinderheart to stop in front of her, blocking her path. 

“Hollyleaf, I know this may be hard to take in, but I don’t think Ashfur is dead. I don’t care how hot the flames were—there would at  _ least  _ be some part of his body left. There’s no way that fire could’ve caused his body to just vanish into thin air.” 

Terror gripped at Hollyleaf like sharpened claws, squeezing her chest tightly. None of this made sense, yet it was all happening before her eyes. The threat of Ashfur still hung over her head, and all she could picture was the fury in his eyes as he loomed over her father. 

Before she knew what was happening, her cheeks felt wet with tears as they came pouring down. She hung her head, embarrassed to be so vulnerable in front of Cinderheart of all cats. But she couldn’t help it—the fear of losing her father was too much. 

Cinderheart’s muzzle rested softly on Hollyleaf’s forehead. She spoke no words, only stood in a comforting silence, as if to let Hollyleaf know she wasn’t alone, nor was she to be judged for her fear. 

Her body shaking, Hollyleaf sat down in the dry grass, now burned from the fire. She let herself cry for a moment more, accepting her own reaction under the stress as well as collecting her thoughts. Cinderheart sat down with her, beginning to rub her tail against Hollyleaf’s back. It was comforting, and made her feel like she wasn’t alone. Hollyleaf took a deep breath, then lifted her gaze to meet Cinderheart’s. Her eyes showed no judgement—instead, they were soft with sympathy and rounded with concern. 

“I just don’t understand it,” she managed through a broken voice. “How could he have survived all that?” 

“I don’t know,” Cinderheart responded, “I’m just as confused as you are about it all. But StarClan knows he couldn’t have gotten out of that without some nasty scars.” 

Hollyleaf nodded in response. They sat in silence for a moment, until Hollyleaf couldn’t stand it anymore. 

“Cinderheart, I’m scared.” 

She met Cinderheart’s eyes and felt the tears welling up again. The fear of what could happen started flooding her senses, but she tried her best to keep it under control. She took a deep breath and continued. 

“I’m terrified for my father’s sake. I know he’s a strong cat, but sometimes fury and determination can overthrow that. You should’ve seen the look in Ashfur’s eyes when he told Brambleclaw he was going to kill him—he was in a frenzy. He had gone  _ mad,  _ and he was determined to see my father bleed out before him.  Knowing how far he can go  _ scares  _ me to think about. Just think, if he caught Brambleclaw at the wrong place wrong time, Brambleclaw could be done for. It’s dumb, I know, to think that a cat like Ashfur could take on my father. But I just can’t help but worry. I love Brambleclaw too much, and I don’t want him to die.”

Hollyleaf began to cry again, but she felt Cinderheart’s tail gently lay across the base of her it, curling around her. Cinderheart nuzzled Hollyleaf’s cheek comfortingly. 

“I don’t think that’s dumb at all,” she spoke in a soft tone. “I can understand why you’d be so worried about Brambleclaw. If it were Brackenfur, I’d react the same way. No cat wants to lose their father. But you’re right about Brambleclaw being a strong cat—he’d never let someone like Ashfur take him down without a fight at least.  Especially now, after the scars you gave him; that fire definitely took him down a few pegs, he’s probably weaker than ever now. But even if that weren’t the case, it’s not like he’s going to be alone. There’s no way Firestar will let him leave camp without some sort of bodyguard to help protect him until Ashfur is found. I’m sure he’ll be safe for now.” 

Silence fell over the two of them as she finished. Hollyleaf began to mull over Cinderheart’s words. She was right—there was no way Ashfur was well enough now to take on Brambleclaw. And Firestar was a caring leader; there’s no way he’d let any cat, especially his deputy, out of his sight without protection if he knew they were in danger. 

“Yeah,” Hollyleaf nodded at Cinderheart. “You’re right. This is all scary but… I think things will turn out okay, at least for now. Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it.” Cinderheart smiled at Hollyleaf, glad to see her doing better. “It’s the least I could do for you. Seeing you so upset hurts me, so I’ll do anything I can to make you at least smile.” 

Hollyleaf suddenly looked away, feeling her face grow hot with embarrassment. Although, she couldn’t hide the smile that was growing on her face. She became hyper aware of Cinderheart’s tail suddenly curling around her own, but chose not to say a word about it, as not to ruin the moment. 

The two looked in the direction of the lake to see that the sky had become a soft orange. The bright sun began to sink beyond the horizon, leaving behind the trail of the oncoming night as it left. It was a stunning sight, and a Hollyleaf couldn’t think of a better cat to watch it with. 

“Are you ready to head back to camp?” Cinderheart’s voice broke the momentary silence. Hollyleaf took a shaky breath and nodded to her. 

“Yeah, I’m ready.” She smiled, standing up. She was overcome with a sudden feeling of loneliness when their tails became untangled, but she felt reassured when Cinderheart’s tail brushed against her cheek as she skipped ahead. 

“I’ll race you back to camp, if you’d like,” Cinderheart smirked playfully at her.

Hollyleaf hummed in response, thinking it over as she approached Cinderheart. She stood confidently before Cindeheart, standing nose to nose with her as she pretended to consider the offer. 

Her face grew hot at the sudden closeness, but she pretended not to notice. Her nerves tingled frantically, and she felt a knot growing in her stomach. She hadn’t been this close to Cinderheart before. 

_ Dear StarClan, what are you doing? Just get on with it!  _

Suddenly, Hollyleaf turned tail and raced in the direction of the camp. She heard Cinderheart call out in irritation in response. 

“No fair!” She tried to act angry, but Hollyleaf could hear the amusement in her voice. 

Hollyleaf grinned. Trees passed her so quickly she could barely make them out. She felt like a bird soaring through them as she approached camp. The air hit her face hard, and she could feel her fur plastered against her skin at the force. 

She slowed down as she approached the camp entrance. The sudden stop felt like whiplash, but she couldn’t help but feel so alive. She whipped around to brag to Cinderheart.

“I won—!” 

But she wasn’t there. 

“Cinderheart?” Hollyleaf looked around for a sign that she was catching up, but there was none. No sound of paws rushing towards her, pattering on the grass. No rustling in the bushes. 

A rush of anxiety sparked in Hollyleaf’s chest. Where had she gone? Did she lose her way? What if Cinderheart hurt herself on the way and she didn’t notice?

A sudden sound of rustling leaves caught Hollyleaf’s attention. She looked up to find the noise was coming from a tree. 

_ That mouse-brain!  _ Hollyleaf sighed in relief. Cinderheart was hiding in the tree, obviously hatching up some devious plan to scare Hollyleaf. She chuckled. 

“Oh, Cinderheart!” Hollyleaf called teasingly. “Wherever have you gone? I feel so vulnerable out here without you!” 

A gray blur shot out from the bushes, slamming Hollyleaf in the side. Panic gripped her as she felt the wind knocked out of her. What was happening? 

Hollyleaf readied herself to take on her attacker when the sound of laughter filled her ears. She looked up to see Cinderheart pinning her down, a wicked grin on her face. 

“You should’ve seen the look on your face!” she laughed. “You looked like a mouse caught by an owl!” 

Hollyleaf felt laughter building up in her chest, and soon she was laughing too. She probably looked like such a mouse-brain when she was caught, but she couldn’t say that she minded. The look of genuine pride on Cinderheart’s face was worth a little humiliation. 

Cinderheart stepped back to let Hollyleaf stand up. Hollyleaf nuzzled her as she stood up, playfully shoving her. She let Cinderheart go first, but suddenly felt uneasy. Remembering what she saw in the trees, Hollyleaf couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched. She looked up into the trees, seeing if she could spot what she assumed was Cinderheart. 

“Are you coming or what?” Cinderheart called out to Hollyleaf. 

“Yeah, sorry!” Hollyleaf turned and bounded after her into camp.  _ Must’ve been a bird.  _

“Hollyleaf!” 

Lionblaze’s voice rang through the camp, catching her attention. He ran up to her, Jayfeather close behind. His brows were furrowed in concern, and Jayfeather didn’t look any better. 

“This seems serious,” Cinderheart whispered. “I’ll leave you three be.” She brushed her tail across Hollyleaf’s back and left, padding over to the fresh-kill pile. Hollyleaf watched her leave, then looked back at Lionblaze and Jayfeather. 

“Are you doing alright?” Lionblaze asked. 

“Yeah,” Hollyleaf smiled. “I’m just worried for Brambleclaw. I don’t want to see him get hurt, you know? But I’m doing better now.” 

“That’s good,” Lionblaze smiled in relief. “I’m glad you’re doing better now.” 

“Me too,” Jayfeather agreed, but there was an edge to his tone. “But we can’t forget that Ashfur’s still out there. We need to keep an eye out in case he shows up again, and we need to be ready.” 

“You’re right,” Hollyleaf nodded. “And we can’t rest until he’s dealt with.” 

“Firestar plans on sending a search party out tomorrow to see if we can find anything regarding his whereabouts,” Lionblaze explained. “I plan on joining it tomorrow.” 

“You can count me in, too,” Hollyleaf agreed. “I want to see this to the end.” 

Jayfeather nodded to both of them. “I’ll keep an ear out if I hear news from anyone outside of the patrol tomorrow.” 

The three stood in silence for a moment. Hollyleaf tried to feel peaceful, knowing that she was surrounded by family and everyone was safe, but she couldn’t ignore the knot of anxiety that sat in her stomach.  _ Until Ashfur is found, we can’t truly be safe. At least not all of us.  _

Despite her worries, she also felt her eyelids growing droopy, and her bones going weak. The sun had now set, and the feeling of needing sleep began to take over. It had been quite a long day.

“Well,” Hollyleaf yawned, “today’s been quite tiring. I definitely need some rest after all of this.” Hollyleaf smiled at Jayfeather and Lionblaze and headed towards the makeshift warriors den. 

With all of the thoughts that clouded her mind after today, Hollyleaf didn’t expect for sleep to take her as quickly as it did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yee I'm back baby!! I've been writing a lot lately so I'm hoping the chapters will start to come out more frequently now (although I hope I'm not jinxing it lol)


	5. Brambleclaw, you are NOT the father!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashfur finds a place to stay for the night and plan for tomorrow. However, his stake-out is interrupted by an unexpected meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh I'm in college now so writing has been weird but I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I'm hoping I won't be too busy and will still be able to continue updating this for you guys,,

Ashfur watched Hollyleaf’s tail twine with Cinderheart’s as they entered camp. Warmth flooded his heart at the sight of Hollyleaf being so at peace now, but he couldn’t help but feel a wrench at his heart. She should’ve been  _ his  _ daughter. He should feel happiness for  _ his own _ daughter finding love in another cat. Yet Hollyleaf belonged to Brambleclaw, and was under his spell, not realizing how trapped she truly was. Ashfur was the only one who could rescue her, along with the rest of her siblings. 

He was the only one who could save Squirrelflight, too. 

_ Don’t worry, Hollyleaf,  _ he promised silently.  _ One way or another, I’ll save you from that fox-heart.  _

Confident that she was safe in camp, Ashfur jumped to another branch and began to make his way far from the Clan. Being so close was risky, seeing as he was an exile for now, but he at least had to ensure that Squirrelflight’s family was safe. 

After jumping from tree to tree, Ashfur made his way back to the grass, feeling like he was a safe enough distance away. The sun had fallen behind the trees, so now it was safe to assume that no Clan cats would be wandering around at this time. Having not eaten since that morning, Ashfur began to look around in search of a meal. It didn’t take long for him to catch the scent of a mouse. Carefully, he hunkered down and began to follow the scent until he spotted a small brown figure. The mouse moved without care, as if believing, like Ashfur, that since it was nighttime,  _ surely  _ no one would be around. 

_ Should any cat even expect for such a foolish creature to have common sense?  _ Ashfur scoffed silently, preparing himself for the hunt. He stalked forward, inching up on his prey. 

Suddenly, an owl hooted in the distance. 

The mouse’s head shot up at the sound, immediately spotting Ashfur. 

_ Fox-dung! _

The mouse ran, but Ashfur was too hungry to let it go. Without a second thought, he chased after it, desperate to sink his teeth into it. 

The mouse was fast and nimble, but Ashfur was quicker. Within moments, Ashfur was on it, finally killing it with a satisfying  _ snap  _ of its neck. Just as quickly as he had caught it, Ashfur gobbled it down. 

As he finished up the last morsels of the mouse, Ashfur began to realize that he wasn’t quite familiar with his surroundings. The trees had begun to thin, replaced by a more grassy setting. 

He had stumbled into WindClan territory. 

If he wasn’t safe in ThunderClan territory, he most certainly wouldn’t be able to hide in WindClan, either. Quickly, he turned tail and began to head back for ThunderClan, where he could stake out in the trees for the night. 

“Leafpool!” 

Ashfur froze as he reached the border. The last thing he expected was to hear someone calling out for his Clan’s medicine cat. Perhaps he had imagined it? It wouldn’t make sense for her to be out  _ here  _ of all places at this time of night. 

“Leafpool?” 

Ashfur began to look around. He was  _ sure  _ he heard the voice that time. What other cat could possibly be out here at this time of night? Although, that should be the last of his worries right now—other cats meant the risk of being found. Ashfur ran to the closest tree and raced up the trunk as quickly and quietly as possible. 

“Leafpool, are you there?” 

Through the leaves, Ashfur searched for the owner of the voice. It didn’t take him long to catch sight of—

_ Mothwing? _

Ashfur closed his eyes and shook his head, certain that he was seeing things. No, there was  _ no  _ way that RiverClan’s medicine cat was at the border of  _ two other Clans,  _ meeting up with another medicine cat in secret, no less. 

But sure enough, there the golden tabby was. Her eyes were rounded with concern, and a bundle of herbs sat at her paws. What was she  _ doing  _ here? 

The worry on her face only grew as she got no response back, and Ashfur could tell she was about to call out again when another cat finally emerged. Sure enough, it was exactly who she was looking for: Leafpool. 

Relief quickly replaced concern on Mothwing’s face as she spotted her, racing to greet the other medicine cat. She pressed her muzzle against Leafpool’s, who nuzzled back in return. The two continued this exchange for a moment, as if they hadn’t seen each other in moons. Mothwing was the first to pull away, concern plastered across her face again as she looked at Leafpool. 

“I heard cats from WindClan on patrol talking earlier,” she explained. “They said something about a fire in ThunderClan. I was so worried about you, Leafpool, you have no idea how anxious I’ve been to see you. Are you okay? You aren’t hurt, are you?” 

Leafpool briefly nuzzled Mothwing reassuringly, then spoke. “I’m fine,” she assured. “And so is the Clan. Despite how big the fire was, not many cats were hurt, actually.” 

_ “Not many,” huh?  _ Ashfur thought.  _ She must be trying to cover up what happened today, as to not make her clan sound weak. Mothwing is from another Clan, after all—but why is she here?  _

“How’s your herb stock?” Mothwing’s voice sounded relieved, but there was still a slight edge of anxiety to it. “Are you low on anything? Do you  _ need  _ anything?” 

“No,” Leafpool shook her head. “Again, I’m surprised to find that everything worked out okay. Our stock hasn’t changed, really. Although, I do need to check on our growing supplies.” 

“Well, just in case,” Mothwing turned around to grab the pile of herbs she brought with her. Dropping it at Leafpool’s paws, she continued. “I brought some extra herbs with me. You can never have too many herbs on you.” 

Leafpool’s eyes widened with shock, and Ashfur noticed a smile playing at her muzzle. Despite the gratitude she seemed to have, she shook her head. “Thank you so much, Mothwing, but I can’t possibly take these! We have enough, and I’m sure RiverClan needs them just as much as we might.” 

“Don’t be modest,” Mothwing laughed. “RiverClan has enough herbs as it is. Take them, I encourage you to! I brought them just for you, you know.” 

Despite her effort to turn Mothwing down, the smile Leafpool had persisted, and finally, she gave in. Gently, she pulled the herbs closer. “Thank you, Mothwing. I really do appreciate it.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Mothwing looked away, as if she were embarrassed. “Really, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You know I care about you, Leafpool, and if I have to bring you some extra herbs from RiverClan because it saves you, then so be it.” 

Leafpool laughed in response, nuzzling Mothwing. The golden tabby was at first caught off guard, but was quick to nuzzle her back. 

Ashfur watched the display in shock. He knew that Leafpool once had a relationship with a cat outside of ThunderClan, but he never realized she was  _ still  _ with another cat. And this time it was another medicine cat, no less! How irresponsible it was, for her to defy the Code like this! 

_ But,  _ he realized,  _ what if that were Squirrelflight and I? Would I do the same for her?  _

He paused for a moment, unable to decide. Sure, he probably would. But wouldn’t that make him a hypocrite now, for judging his own medicine cat’s decision for doing something he knew he would be willing to do for another cat? 

Ashfur shook his head. How rude he was to judge other cats for loving, despite the fact that love was what got him here in the first place. 

After a moment, Mothwing suddenly gave Leafpool a serious look. Her voice lowered to more than a whisper as she spoke, and Ashfur had to strain his ears to listen. He could only make out the last word of her question. 

“...the kits?” 

Leafpool’s eyes widened at the question, and quickly she looked to and fro, as if to make sure no one was around. Ashfur plastered his body against the tree, praying the leaves would hide him well enough. 

They seemed to work as enough shelter, as Leafpool turned back to Mothwing like she hadn’t noticed him. She replied back in a hushed voice as well. 

“They’re doing just fine. The fire didn’t harm them at all. But…” 

Mothwing’s eyes were once more rounded with worry. “But what, Leafpool?” Her whisper grew louder in panic, as if she was struggling to control her volume. “What happened?” 

“Well,” Leafpool paused for a moment, looking for the right words. “During the fire, they got trapped along with Brambleclaw in the flames. Ashfur came to rescue them, but what no one counted on was the fact that he tried to kill Brambleclaw in the process. Hollyleaf was able to stop him, thank StarClan, but now he’s on the loose, and now everyone’s stressed out about it.” 

_ They’re talking about Squirrelflight’s kits!  _ Ashfur realized, confusion starting to wrack his brain. But  _ why? _ What did they have to do with anything? What was it worth Leafpool telling Mothwing about what happened today?  _ Perhaps she’s warning Mothwing to look out for me,  _ Ashfur thought with disgust. 

“It’s good to hear that they’re okay,” Mothwing seemed to let go of a breath she was holding. “But I’m so sorry about what happened today. I can’t even imagine what they must be going through, poor furballs. I wish I could be there for them.” 

“They’re not kits anymore, Mothwing,” Leafpool chided, resting her muzzle in Mothwing’s chest. “And besides—Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw are great parents. But, I do worry about them, too.” 

Mothwing licked Leafpool’s forehead and nuzzled her back. “Giving them to Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw was a great decision. Although I worry, they’re excellent parents, and are raising them well.” 

_ What?  _

“I know,” Leafpool spoke, looking to the ground. “Although, sometimes I wish Crowfeather could see them and know that they’re his. He would be so proud to know what fine young cats his kits turned out to be.” 

“Leafpool,” Mothwing’s voice grew stern, yet soft with compassion, “you don’t need that fox-heart. I understand you miss him, but I think it’s for the best that he didn’t stick around for them. He would have been a mouse-brain of a father, I’m sure of it.” 

Leafpool snorted in response, struggling to hold back her laughter. Amusement and love shone in her eyes as she looked at the golden-she cat. “Don’t get your tail in a knot, furball. You’re probably right.” She sighed, pressing once more into Mothwing. “I’d like to think that he would have been a good father, but I don’t know. I’ve seen how he is around Breezepelt, and it’s heartbreaking to see how little he seems to care. No cat deserves a father who won’t want to be around, and I most certainly wouldn’t want that for my kits.” 

Leafpool paused, then pulled back, pressing her muzzle to Mothwing’s. 

“Besides,” she continued. “I have you now. What could possibly be better than that?” 

Mothwing suddenly appeared sheepish, fighting the urge to look away. But she smiled, overcome with love, and nuzzled Leafpool back. 

“I could say the same about you.” 

Ashfur’s thoughts whirled, making the silence grow loud in his head. What was this all about? Had Leafpool borne kits? Were Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather  _ really  _ those kits? Did that mean that Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw never had kits in the first place? 

Overwhelmed, Ashfur began to back up as he processed this information. 

_ Snap.  _

Ashfur winced as a twig snapped when he backed to the trunk of the tree. Immediately, Leafpool and Mothwing’s heads shot up, looking in his direction. Quickly, he plastered his body against the tree, desperate to hide from view. Leafpool’s eyes rounded with fear, but Mothwing simply stepped forward, standing protectively next to Leafpool. She began to bare her fangs when Leafpool pressed herself against her shoulder. 

“We should probably head back to our camps now. We can’t risk being caught out here like this.” 

Mothwing’s demeanor quickly changed from angered to hurt, but a small smile formed on her muzzle. She pressed her cheek to Leafpool’s softly, and for one last moment, they took each others’ presence in. 

“Farewell, Leafpool,” Mothwing spoke, stepping away and making her way towards the border. “I hope all goes well for you.” 

“Thank you,” Leafpool stepped towards her, as if wishing to follow, but she didn’t dare get any closer. “Goodnight, Mothwing. I hope to see you again soon.” 

Mothwing nodded in response, whispering, “We will, I’m sure of it,” then ran off towards RiverClan. 

Leafpool watched her leave, then quickly grabbed the herbs she left and fled back to camp. After Ashfur was sure they were both gone, he revealed himself back in the moonlight, staring at the scene. 

He couldn’t believe what he witnessed. He could barely believe the information he learned. It was so much at once, so many new facts he never even realized. 

Looking back, it was so painfully obvious, but no one ever suspected a thing. The signs were there—Leafpool beginning to grow bigger with Squirrelflight, the kits being born out in the woods with the only witnesses being the sisters, Squirrelflight not having any milk for them. The kits didn’t even  _ look _ like Squirrelflight or Brambleclaw. Yet no one questioned it. No one batted an eye. 

It was all so much at once, but one thing was clear. 

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw had actually never had kits. 

They were the kits of a medicine cat and a cat from another clan all along. 

A strange rush of excitement filled Ashfur. Despite being his mate, Squirrelflight never actually had kits with Brambleclaw, the fox-heart son of Tigerstar. 

Did Brambleclaw know? 

Surely, if Squirrelflight really loved him, she  _ had  _ to have told him. And yet, Brambleclaw seemed to have not known. He always seemed to think they solely belonged to him, like he was their  _ real  _ father. Maybe he wasn’t aware after all. 

It would destroy Brambleclaw to find out that his mate had been lying to him all along about their kits’ true origin. 

But Brambleclaw wasn’t the only one unaware of this fact. The Clans were blind to it as well; if he didn’t know already, then why would any other cats know? 

Being told alone would break Brambleclaw’s heart and tear him away from Squirrelflight, but if the rest of the Clans knew? His reputation would be  _ shattered.  _ He would be seen as a fraud of a father, a flea-brain for not knowing. 

Sure, this would have negative impacts on Squirrelflight as well; the Clans probably wouldn’t give her much respect, knowing that she took kits under her wing that belonged to a couple that shouldn’t have existed. But  _ Ashfur  _ understood her. He knew that she took care of those kits for a reason, he knew that she was a wonderful mother. He would stick by her side through it all, reminding her how great she was and how much he loved her. In the end, Squirrelflight would see how much of a loving mate he was, and there was no way she wouldn’t love him back. It was the perfect plan. 

Tomorrow night, the full moon would be set in the sky, and the four Clans would meet. It was the perfect set-up, the perfect place for him to let everyone know the truth. Tomorrow night, he would tell them all. 

Tomorrow night, he would win back Squirrelflight.

Ashfur climbed his way into a comfortable crook between branches, snuggling up to fall asleep. The imagery of Brambleclaw being shunned and Squirrelflight running to his side filled his heart with pride. By the next Gathering, Brambleclaw would be crow-food, and Squirrelflight would be  _ his  _ mate rather than Brambleclaw’s. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed! I know I always say this but I'm sorry if it's poorly written,, I think this chapter turned out okay lol. I wish I could update you guys whenever I'm working on this fic!! goodness

**Author's Note:**

> yeehaw


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